Intermittent roller feed



June 16, 1964 c. PETERSON INTERMITTENT ROLLER FEED Filed July 20. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /O I? O f O \L F G. l

INVENTOR. CARL PETERSON ATTORNEY June 16, 1964 PETERSON v 3,137,428

INTERMITTENT ROLLER FEED 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 20. 1961 INVENTOR. PETERSON CARL vATTORNE pulling the stock through the die.

United States Patent 3,137,428 INTERMITTENT ROLLER FEED Carl Peterson, Barrington, RJ.

(9 Warren Ave., East Providence, RI.) Filed July 20, 1961, Ser. No. 125,581

Claims. (Cl. 226-154) precision parts normally required on this type of device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a roll feed mechanism which is simple in construction and easy and economical to manufacture and assemble.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in view my invention consists of a novelarrangement of parts more fully disclosed in the detailed description following in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and more particularly defined in the appended claims.

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of a power operated press with the feed of the present invention.

FIG. 2' is a rear elevation of the feed mechanism.

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 on FIG. 2 with the device in feeding position.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of the rollers shown in FIG. 3 in non-feeding position.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged perspective view showing one of the wedge mountings.

In the stamping of small parts a continuous strip of metal stock is normally fed through a die set in a power press. The feed mechanism advances the stock through the die during the upward stroke of the press and stops feeding during the downward stroke so that the stock is at rest during the punching operation. In most industries these dies are complex with different portions of the die performing successive operations on the metal. This requires, close tolerances in the movement of-the stock. Where the stock is fed between a pair of rollers, an indexing device must be positioned between the operating lever and the rollers to permit accurate adjustment of the feed length. Such indexing devices are costly and complex. An example being shown in Aijala Patent No. 2,591,993.

The present invention is designed to provide a simple roll feed mechanism which eliminates expensive and complicated indexing mechanisms on a conventional roll feed. Referring more in detail to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates one type of power press having a' vertically reciprocable ram 11 and a fly wheel 12. The roll feed device 13 is mounted on the press table or bed 14. In

the position shown in FIG. lthe device is mounted for If it is desired to push the stock through the die then the device should be mounted on the opposite side of the die. 7

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the roll feed is of conventional construction and comprises a rectangular frame having a bottom 15, top 16 and sides 17. The sides 17 ICE are provided with vertical slots 18. The lower roller 19 is mounted on a shaft 20 which, in the illustrated form is elongated and extends through a bearing block 21 to a point below and to one ,side of the fly wheel 12. The

upper roller 22 is mounted on a shaft 23 whose journalled bearings -24 are vertically slidable in the slots 18. An

adjustment bolt 25 extends vertically through thecover 16 into each slot 18 and bears on a spring 2 6 which pushes downwardly on the bearing'blocks'24. This is the conventional construction for mounting the roller feed and for adjusting the pressure between the upper and lower rollers. r r

At theoutside of one of the vertical sides '17 the lower shaft 20 isprovided with a gear '27 and the upper shaft .23 is provided with a matching gear 28. The gears 27 attached by a universal joint 36 to an operating arm 31 whichis mounted on the fly wheel 12. The length of the feed stroke is adjusted by the operating arm mounting. This comprises an elongated rectangular block 32 having a central slot'33 in which a stud 34 is adjustably mounted. The operating arm 31 is attached to the stud .34 by a universal joint 35. If the stud 34 is moved inwardly towards the center of the fly wheel 12 the stroke is shortened. If the stud 34 is moved outwardly towards the perimeter the stroke is lengthened. With the above arrangement an intermittent feed is provided in timed relation to the vertical motion of the ram 11. When the ram 11 moves upwardly the arm 31 also moves upwardly and the lever 29 rotates the shaft 20 clockwise as shown in FIG. 1. This is the feed stroke. As

the ram 11 moves downwardly the arm 31 will move the :A block 39 is mounted adjacent each end having a bottom portionwithin the channel 37 as shown in FIG. 1. The block 39 is mounted for lateral adjustment by means of -bolts passing through slots 38. 'The blocks 39 extend rearwardly beyond" the edge of the supporting members 36 as shown in FIG. 3 and 5. Adjacent the inner edge ofeach block 39 is a transverse rectangular groove 41 aligned with the extreme ends of the rollers 19a'nd 22 and horizontally aligned with the point of contact between the rollers. An elongated wedge member 42 of rectangular cross section is slidably mounted in each slot 41. The front end of each wedge member is tapered to form a flat wedge of approximately 20 Patented June 16, 1964 wedge 5-2 is thus limited by the space between the bolt 47 and the block 3?. In normal operation this movement is only a small fraction of an inch. it is essential that the stock passing between the rollers remain flat to prevent binding. I therefore provide a pair of spaced plates 48 at the front of the rollers so that the stock will be pulled between the plates 58. Additional lateral adjustments of the stock can be made by any conventional means.

The operation of the feed mechanism is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. On the upward feed stroke of the lever 29 the lower roller 1 will turn counterclockwise and the upper roller 22 will turn clockwise as seen in FIG. 3. Since the stock is pinched between the rollers it will be pulled through the die outwardly into the area between the spaced blocks 39. This rotation also keeps the wedges 42 pushed away to the left against the action of the spring 46. On the return or reverse stroke the rollers instantly engage the wedge ends 43 and pull them inwardly assisted by the springs 46. The wedges move inwardly until the adjusting nut reaches the edge of the block 39. However, as soon as each wedge moves inwardly it raises the upper roller 22 against the action of the spring 26 to release the stock. Reverse kicks the wedges outwardly and allows the rollers to again grip and feed the stock. In actual toward said rollers by coil springs, said wedges being fricpractice this upward movement may be only a few thousandths of an inch and consequently it is instantaneous.

Furthermore, because of the fact that the stock is released only when the rollers have completed their feed stroke and are starting to reverse, nobrakes or friction devices are necessary for stopping the forward momentum of the stock. The length of the feed stroke is accurately adjusted at the fly wheel and auxiliary devices may be added for micrometer adjustments if desired. a

The above construction thus adds a simple wedge mechanism to a conventional roller feed to provide accurate intermitten feeding. Costly indexing devices and brakes are eliminated. Other advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. An intermittent feed for strip stock comprising a frame having a bottom, top and vertical sides, a vertical slot in each side, a lower shaft mounted in fixed bearings in said sides, a lower roller mounted on said lower shaft, a vertically slidable bearing mounted in said slot in each of said sides, an upper shaft mounted in said slidable bearings, an upper roller mounted on said upper shaft, an adjustable spring above each slidable bearing biasing said upper roller against said lower roller, intermeshing gears I on said upper and lower shafts, means for oscillating said lower shaft, and means for intermittently lifting said upper roller from said lower roller, said lifting means including a pair of spaced wedges slidably mounted at a tangent to the peripheries of said rollers, said wedges being frictionally engageable by said rollers rotating in one direction to pull said wedges between said rollers and lift said upper roller from said lower roller, and said wedges being frictionally ejected from between said rollers on reversal of rotation of said rollers to allow said upper roller to again engage said lower roller.

2. An intermittent feed for strip stock comprising a frame having a bottom, top and vertical sides, a vertical slot in each side, a lower shaft mounted in fixed bearings in said sides, a lower roller mounted on said lower shaft, a vertically slidable bearing mounted in said slot in each of said sides, an upper shaft mounted in said slidable bearings, an upper rollermounted on said upper shaft, an adjustable spring above each slidable bearing biasing said upper roller against said lower roller, intermeshing gears on said upper and lower shafts, means for oscillating said lower shaft, and means for intermittently lifting said upper roller from said lower roller, said lifting means including a pair of spaced wedges slidably mounted at a tangent to the peripheries of said rollers, said wedges being biased tionally engageable by said rollers rotatingin one direc-' tion to pull said wedges between said rollers and lift said upper roller from said lower roller, and said wedges being frictionally ejected from between said rollers on reversal of rotation of said rollers to allow said upper roller to again engage said lower roller.

3. An intermitten feed for strip stock comprising a frame having a bottom, top and vertical sides, a vertical slot in each side, a lower shaft mounted in fixed bearings in said sides, a lower roller mounted on said lower shaft, a

vertically slidable bearing mounted in said slot in each of said sides, an upper shaft mounted in said slidable bearings, an upper roller mounted on said upper shaft, an

adjustable spring above each slidable bearing biasing said upper roller against said lower roller, intermeshing gears on said upper and lower shafts, means for oscillating said lower shaft, and means for intermittently lifting said upper roller from said lower roller, said" lifting means com prising a support mounted at the bottom rear of said frame, spaced blocks mounted on said support, each of said blocks having a slot in alignment with the contiguous portion of said rollers, and a wedge slidably mounted in; each block slot and bearing against said rollers, and means for adjustably limiting the movement of said wedges, said wedges being frictionally engageable by said rollers rotating in one direction to pull said wedges between said rollers and lift said upper roller from said lower roller, and said wedges being frictionally ejected from between said rollers on reversal of rotation of said rollers to allow said upper roller to again engage said lower roller.

4. An intermittent feed for strip stock comprising a frame having a bottom, top and vertical sides, a vertical slot in each side, a lower shaft mounted in fixed hearings in said sides, a lower roller mounted on said lower shaft,

a vertically slidable bearing mounted in said slot in each,

of said sides, an upper shaft mounted in said slidable bearings, an upper roller mounted on said upper shaft, an adjustable spring above each slidable bearing biasing said upper roller against said lower roller, intermeshing gears on said upper and lower shafts, means for oscillating said lower shaft, and means for intermittently lifting said upper roller from said lower roller, said lifting means comprising a support mounted at the bottom rear of said frame, spaced blocks mounted on said support, each of said blocks having a slot in alignment with the contiguous portion of said rollers, and a wedge slidably mounted in each block slot and bearing against said roller,

and a coil spring between the outer end-of each wedge and said blocks to bias said wedges toward said rollers, said wedges being frictionally engageable by said rollers rotating in one direction to pull said wedges between said rollers and lift said upper roller from said lower roller, 4 and said wedges being frictionally ejected from between said rollers on reversal of rotation of said rollers to allow said upper roller to again engage said lower roller.

5. An intermittent feed for strip stock comprising a frame having a bottom, top and verticalsides, a vertical slot ineach side, a lower shaft mounted in fixed bearings in said sides, a lower roller mounted on said lower shaft,

a vertically slidable bearing mounted in said slot in each of said sides, an upper shaft mounted in said slidablef comprising a support mounted at the bottom rear of said 7 frame, spaced blocks mounted on said support, each of,

said blocks having a slot in alignment with the contiguous portion of said rollers, and a wedge slidably mounted in each block slot and bearing against said rollers, and a coil spring between the outer end of each wedge and said blocks to bias said wedges toward said rollers, and means for adjustably limiting the movement of said wedges, said wedges tapering at a 20 degree angle, said wedges being frictionally engageable by said rollers rotating in one direction to pull said wedges between said rollers and lift said upper roller from said lower roller, and said wedges being frictionally ejected from between said rollers on reversal of rotation of said rollers to allow said upper roller to again engage said lower roller.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Wittek July 12, 1932 Hammon' Nov. 21, 1939 Schefiey July 4, 1950 Costello Sept. 1, 1959 Pityo July 26, 1960 Sarka June 5, 1962 

1. AN INTERMITTENT FEED FOR STRIP STOCK COMPRISING A FRAME HAVING A BOTTOM, TOP AND VERTICAL SIDES, A VERTICAL SLOT IN EACH SIDE, A LOWER SHAFT MOUNTED IN FIXED BEARINGS IN SAID SIDES, A LOWER ROLLER MOUNTED ON SAID LOWER SHAFT, A VERTICALLY SLIDABLE BEARING MOUNTED IN SAID SLOT IN EACH OF SAID SIDES, AN UPPER SHAFT MOUNTED IN SAID SLIDABLE BEARINGS, AN UPPER ROLLER MOUNTED ON SAID UPPER SHAFT, AN ADJUSTABLE SPRING ABOVE EACH SLIDABLE BEARING BIASING SAID UPPER ROLLER AGAINST SAID LOWER ROLLER, INTERMESHING GEARS ON SAID UPPER AND LOWER SHAFTS, MEANS FOR OSCILLATING SAID LOWER SHAFT, AND MEANS FOR INTERMITTENTLY LIFTING SAID UPPER ROLLER FROM SAID LOWER ROLLER, SAID LIFTING MEANS INCLUDING A PAIR OF SPACED WEDGES SLIDABLY MOUNTED AT A TANGENT TO THE PERIPHERIES OF SAID ROLLERS, SAID WEDGES BEING FRICTIONALLY ENGAGEABLE BY SAID ROLLERS ROTATING IN ONE DIRECTION TO PULL SAID WEDGES BETWEEN SAID ROLLERS AND LIFT SAID UPPER ROLLER FROM SAID LOWER ROLLER, AND SAID WEDGES BEING FRICTIONALLY EJECTED FROM BETWEEN SAID ROLLERS ON REVERSAL OF ROTATION OF SAID ROLLERS TO ALLOW SAID UPPER ROLLER TO AGAIN ENGAGE SAID LOWER ROLLER. 